From the Ground Up is a collaboration with the elements. I made the pulp from recycled paper collected at my university, then hand-colored it with acrylic paint before shaping it onto canvas. I worked outdoors, allowing the rain to interact with the surface. Its rhythm, pressure, and unpredictability leaving behind subtle traces. Still, I remained the composer, guiding the final image with care and intention.

I’ve often found myself reflecting on the process of making paper. The way the fibers are broken down, softened, and reformed into a new surface. In this act, I see a metaphor for my own transformation. Like the pulp, I am fragile yet resilient, constantly being reshaped and rebuilt through layers of experience and intention. This piece becomes not just an artwork, but a quiet reflection of that ongoing inner rebuilding.

This piece began at a time when I felt the need to start over, emotionally, creatively, and mentally. The process of building something from discarded materials, of working slowly and openly with natural forces, became a way to reflect that internal state. The title speaks to my desire to rise again, to begin from a place that feels honest and bare.

It’s a visual record of becoming.